The Culture of International Arbitration

Won L. Kidane

Provides a definition of legal culture and its role in modern day arbitral proceedings

Contains a detailed analysis of how cultural miscommunication affects commercial and investment arbitration

Documents the history of the relationship between courts and arbitral tribunals in various legal traditions

Contains interviews with leading international jurists from diverse legal traditions who have first-hand experience with the effects of culture on legal proceedings

Offers a unique and useful perspective to practitioners, academics, policy makers, and students of international arbitration

The Culture of International Arbitration

Won L. Kidane

Description

Although international arbitration has emerged as a credible means of resolution of transnational disputes involving parties from diverse cultures, the effects of culture on the accuracy, efficiency, fairness, and legitimacy of international arbitration is a surprisingly neglected topic within the existing literature. The Culture of International Arbitration fills that gap by providing an in-depth study of the role of culture in modern day arbitral proceedings. It contains a detailed analysis of how cultural miscommunication affects the accuracy, efficiency, fairness, and legitimacy in both commercial and investment arbitration when the arbitrators and the parties, their counsel and witnesses come from diverse legal traditions and cultures. The book provides a comprehensive definition of culture, and methodically documents and examines the epistemology of determining facts in various legal traditions and how the mixing of traditions influences the outcome. By so doing, the book demonstrates the acute need for increasing cultural diversity among arbitrators and counsel while securing appropriate levels of cultural competence. To provide an accurate picture, Kidane conducted interviews with leading international jurists from diverse legal traditions with first-hand experience of the complicating effects of culture in legal proceedings. Given the insights and information on the rules and expectations of the various legal traditions and their convergence in modern day international arbitration practice, this book challenges assumptions and can offer a unique and useful perspective to all practitioners, academics, policy makers, students of international arbitration.

The Culture of International Arbitration

Won L. Kidane

Table of Contents

Table Of Select Abbreviations Table Of Cases Table Of Statutes Table Of Conventions

Part One Culture And The Legal Framework And Theoretical Pillars Of International Arbitation

Chapter 1: Introduction

Chapter 2: Defining Legal Culture A. A Brief Look At Culture In Transnational Business B. Preliminary Thoughts On Culture In International ArbitrationC. Conclusion

Chapter 3: The Political And Cultural History Of International Arbitration In Various Legal Traditions A. The Political And Cultural History Of Contemporary International Arbitration B. The Evolution Of The Courts' Tolerance Of International Arbitration In Various Legal Traditions 1. Common Law Legal Tradition 2. Civil Law Legal Tradition 3. Chinese Legal Tradition 4. African Legal Tradition

Part Two Deconstructing The Mythology Of Specialized Knowledge In International Arbitration

Chapter 8: Diversity In The Epistomology Of Judicial Fact Finding In The Major Legal Traditions Of The World: Indicators For Conduct In International Arbitration A. Fact Finding In The Common Law Legal Tradition B. Fact Finding In The Civil Law Legal Tradition C. Fact Finding In The Chinese Legal Tradition D. Fact Finding In Islamic Legal Tradition E. Conclusion

Chapter 9: Fact Finding And Cultural Diversity In International Arbitration A. Fact-Finding In The FogB. Culture As Fact; Fact As Culture C. Interpretation And Application Of Law As A Cultural Practice

Chapter 10: The Typical Process For Selection And Challenge Of Arbitrators A. Appointment And Challenge 1. Appointment 2. Challenge 3. The Conduct Of Arbitration 4. The Iba Rules On The Taking Of Evidence In International Arbitration B. Conclusion

Chapter 12: Conversations On The Role Of Culture In International Arbitration 1. Introduction 2. Conversations File A. Conversation With Judge Abdulqawi Yusuf, Vice President Of The International Court Of Justice. B. Conversation With Judge Judge Xue Hanqin, Judge Of The International Court Of Justice. C. Conversation With Judge Julia Sebutinde, Judge Of The International Court Of Justice. D. Conversation With Jurist No. 1 E. Conversation With Jurist No. 2 F. Conversation With Jurist No. 3 G. Conversation With Jurist No. 4 H. Conversation With Mr. Thomas R. Snider

Chapter 13: Summary Of Conclusions

Bibliography

Index

The Culture of International Arbitration

Won L. Kidane

Author Information

Won L. Kidane is a Fulbright Scholar and a tenured Associate Professor of Law at the Seattle University School of Law, where he teaches international arbitration and litigation among other courses. He is the author of China-Africa Dispute Settlement (2011) and co-author of Litigating War: Mass Civil Injury and the Eritrea-Ethiopia Claims Commission (With Sean D. Murphy and Thomas R. Snider, OUP 2014). He has written dozens of articles published in law reviews and leading international law journals including Cornell, University of Pennsylvania, Vanderbilt, Emory, Fordham, and Wisconsin. Before becoming a professor at Seattle University Law School, he practiced as an arbitration attorney at DLA Piper and at Hunton & Williams, LLP in Washington, D.C. He is currently a partner at the Addis Law Group, LLP, a Washington D.C. based boutique international arbitration firm.